Collar-foundation.



No. 699,847, Patented May l3, I902.

B. S. NICHOLS.

COLLAR FOUNDATION.

'{Appfication filed Oct. 23, 1901.,

(No Model.)

Witweoaw gwwwtoz Blane aMc/zo/M' 351 6mm THE uonms Pzrzns cu, Pno'mumo,wAsnma'rou, o. c.

UNIED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLANCHE SQUIER NICHOLS, OF NEIV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

COLLAR-FOUNDATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,847, dated May 13,1902.

Application filed October 23, 1901. Serial No. 79,609. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BLANCHE SQUIER NICH- cm, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Collar- Linings, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to wearing-apparel, and particularly to a simple,inexpensive, durable, and efiective means for preserving the shape ofcollars and the like.

Ordinarily flexible collars very soon crush down and become permanentlybent or misshapen, and it is to overcome this disagreeable result that Ihave provided a means for reinforcing or stiffening a collar, so that,although sufiicient flexibility is provided, a collar, stock, or thelike will always return to its proper shape after being bent down orcrumpled.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of myinvention. Fig. 2 is arelatively enlarged portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, illuscratingdetails of construction.

A is a fabric forming the body of the collar reinforce or stiffening.The fabric of this collar is constructed partly of hairsfor example,horse-hairs-the same being woven into the texture, so that they willstand, by preference, upright relatively to the proper position of thedevice when in use. The balance of the fabric is preferably made up ofsuitable material woven in with the hairs. The fabric A is cut to asuitable size and shape, and the edge is bound with suitable materialforexample, leather-Which is impervious to the hairs of the central wovenfield. The binding 13 may be secured to the central fabric in a suitablemanner-for example, by stitching. The completed article may be bent, butwill not partake of any permanent creased form. The article is used as afoundation for stocks, ladies collars, or the like and is concealedwithin the same. In use the ends of the hairs being sheathed within thebinding, which, as before stated, is impervious thereto, cannot work outso as to irritate or scratch the neck of the wearer nor become loosenedand removed to such an extent as to impair the value of the device orrender it useless.

When the foundation is made with the hair upright in that portion whichwould be the front or center thereof, it of necessity fol lows, thecloth being cut on a curve, that the hairs will lie on the bias outtoward the ends. To reinforce the collar-lining or to give it addedstiffness, I therefore prefer to use an additional thickness of thematerial at the ends, in which the hairs may be so laid as to offsetthose hairs which are on the bias. Inasmuch as the ends of the collarlap by each other and are usually pinned togetherit is not alwaysnecessary that they should be bound entirely around. I therefore find itconven ient to leave the ends as shown at C. This permits of thecarrying in stock of a standardsize collar, which may be cut off at theends to furnish a size suitable for any individual.

I prefer to use kid to other kinds of leather, because of its being thinand very supple. In some cases it may be desirable to secure the kid tothe haircloth by means of gum.

By my invention I have provided a collarfoundation of greaterflexibility than any heretofore used and one which will give thegreatest comfort to the wearer.

What I claim is- 1. A reinforce for collars, stocks, and the like,comprising a central field of fabric having hairs woven thereinto, witha binding of leather-like material impervious to and covering the endsof the hair-like portion of said fabric.

2. A collar-foundation formed of the body part of hairclothA bound withleather B, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A collar-foundation formed of a body part of haircloth bound at theupper and lower edges with leather and reinforced at the ends.

4. A collar-foundation formed of a body part of haircloth and bound atthe upper and lower edges with leather, the hair at the central portionof the collar being substantially perpendicular to the edges and at theends reinforced by haircloth for the purpose specified.

5. Areinforce for collars, stocks, and the like, comprising a centralfield of fabric having hairs woven thereinto, with a binding of amaterial impervious to, and covering, the ends of the hairs in saidfabric.

Signed at New Britain, Connecticut, this 10th day of October, 1901.

BLANCHE SQUIER NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

F. S. BEOKLEY, J. M. BUnDIoK.

